Jerry Jones promises Frederick is going to be a starter: 'First-rounder and not start?'

“I had hoped that we could come out of this thing with a
legitimate starter – a legitimate starter, and he will start,” Jones said Thursday
night in a conversation with reporters at Valley Ranch.

“He will start?” somebody repeated.

“First-rounder and not start?” Jones said. “Now, I know the coach
wants there to be competition, and should be, and we all know that’s the way it
is. But we want to put a base in there where you don’t have a knock-back issue.
Bill Callahan is a big center guy. After your left tackle, he likes the center position
as far as the best players on the offensive line. He’ll be the first to tell you
that.”

Jones said the Cowboys still like Phil Costa, who they extended
last year, at center even as he is coming off an ankle injury.

“We’re pretty proud of Costa, frankly,” Jones said. “So can this
guy play guard? You bet he can. He played guard up until last year.”

If Frederick
winds up in the starting lineup, he would be the fourth consecutive No. 1 pick
to become an instant starter for the Cowboys. Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith and
Morris Claiborne moved into the starting lineup right away the last three
years.